The Last Ninja
by Dr-Lovekill
Summary: Hokage Danzo is making Konaha more modern and civilized. An army of nins led by Naruto is rebelling against Danzo's regime. When a troubled army officer hired by Danzo is captured by the nins, will he help them win their fight, or will they be destroyed?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: An Inescapable Misery

_I've had it in mind to write this one for a while, and since I have finished my Invader Zim Civil War fic, I decided that now was the time to share this one with all my readers. It's based off of the movie "The Last Samurai", a wonderful, moving motion picture that I highly recommend watching. You don't have to have seen the movie to understand this story however. It stands on it's own as another tale of honor, compassion and courage in the midst of war. I hope you enjoy it. A few of the characters are OCs, and I have once again made myself the main character, only in the form this time of a Civil War artillery officer. I have tried to keep my character from being too "Mary Sue", and attempted to make Lieutenant Drake as real and multifaceted as possible. I do not own Naruto or any of the original characters or places in the Narutoverse. They are the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto and Viz Media. I ask humbly that you please review. I love hearing from my readers. _

Entry One

I will try to relate the events of my life as accurately as possible. The people I speak of, I present them as they were to me, as the strong, compassionate, people who fought with everything they had to protect what little they had. It is said that Konahameru was created when the old gods formed the lands from the elements that made up the universe. Wind, water, and fire. Generations of warfare shaped the borders and the kingdoms. I believe that it was people who created Konaha, brave fearless people who called themselves ninja, people who were willing to die for their way of life.

My part in the story began after the war in which I did my part for nearly five long years. What makes a warrior? I always defined it as a duty, a job with pay for services rendered. When I had stood side by side with my comrades at Corinth and Lookout Mountain , dueling with an enemy who returned shell for shell, canister for canister, I had little time to think about glory or honor, not that there was any to be found, just the repeated orders issuing from my lips dogmatically, telling the men when to load, advance a round, elevate or depress the barrels, fire. Fortunately, every war must have an end, and unfortunately, every war must have a side who is defeated, and I had the displeasure of being on that side. So, the war at an end, my career as a lieutenant of artillery at an end, and after the horrors I had seen and done my part to cause, wishing often my life to be at an end, I found myself unemployed.

Eventually, work came my way in the form of a contract with a small troop of actors, giving demonstrations for a paying crowd of those who were either too young, too old, or for whatever reason unable to fight in the war. My part was to command the two small cannon, for which I was paid enough to live on, a substantial part of my diet being whiskey when the memories of my guns tearing holes in men who left wives and children to mourn became too much for my mind to bear. At night, I would often lie awake, and in my mind, the screams and moans of the dying reverberating in my memory, the destruction of the battlefield, the infernal acts I had been paid to perform against my fellow man haunted me like an angel of the pit.

May of that year brought an unexpected visitor to my room after a performance. Sergeant Hodges, the stocky, bearded, always duty bound sergeant who had served under me in the battery came to deliver a message, and an employment opportunity. It was a message from Phillip Clarke, The Major who had commanded my battery during a few particular battles…the major who ordered us to bombard that small town full of civilians and rake a defeated, retreating foe with double-canister…the officer who after the war, returned to the Union army to keep both his rank and the gentlemanly honor he had loved so much. The man, I wanted nothing to do with. The job I would look into.

And so we all met, at a restaurant in Richmond. Upon entering with Hodges, I found the table where was seated the men who desired my company. I gave a cold nod of greeting to Major Clarke. I was no longer a soldier nor an officer, and I would not salute him even if I were. Seated also at the table, I noticed two men, who were certainly foreigners, and deduced that this must have something to do with the offer.

"Welcome." Clarke said warmly. "Sit, sit. This is Mr. Akuma and Mr…I still can't pronounce it. They are from the land of Konahameru." I stayed standing, hoping they would get to the point.

"Never heard of it." I said, taking a shotglass of bourbon from a waiter's tray and drinking it down.

"Ah, yes…" Clarke replied. "Not many have. They're quite mysterious, and their hidden land has until now remained so." I sat the shotglass onto the table.

"Uh-huh…" I answered.

"Well," Clarke explained. "Konahameru has a new leader, the um…hokage, Danzo." I nodded. Clarke glanced toward Akuma, a large-bodied man wearing a strange headband with a silver plate on the front bearing a leaf-like symbol. "Hogage Danzo has decided to make konahameru a more…civilized nation, and open trade with other countries." I signaled the waiter to bring me more bourbon. He approached with another shot, and I drank it thirstily. "Unfortunately, this progress toward civilization has been hindered by rebels who cling to the old ways, and have made war against the Hokage and his nation." I now understood the purpose of this meeting. The major continued. "Danzo has decided to hire experienced soldiers from our country to train his new, modern army to combat the rebels. He has requested a numerous amount of artillery officers to train the men of Konahameru in the use of cannons, which he says will be the only way to combat the ninja."

"Ninja…" I asked, semi-interested.

"Your word would be…warriors." Mr. Akuma said.

"Lieutenant Drake here knows more about war than he looks. He is one of the best artillery officers the Confederate army had." I flashed the major an ill look.

"Well thank you for the offer, but I already have employment." I said.

"We will pay you the equivalent of one hundred and fifty American dollars a month for your assistance." Akuma stated. I mused over it a moment.

"Two hundred." I said. "For both me and my sergeant here. And…four hundred more each when we're finished with your war." The two foreigners glowered at me. "You wanted the best artillery officers you could find." I boasted cynically.

"Done." Akuma replied. I walked out of the dining part of the restaurant and leaned against a pillar, sighing at the direction my life had taken. Major Clarke spoke from behind me.

"So, you've decided to participate?" He asked. I turned and looked into the eyes of the man I resented above any other.

"You want me to blow up these ninja, I will. I'm a paid soldier. For 200 dollars, I'll kill them all myself. I'd kill Yankees, civilians, ninja…but you…" I pointed at him. "I would kill you and not ask a penny for it." He nodded unemotionally. "When do we leave?"

Entry Two

Standing on the deck of the odd little steamer, the _Taka Orochi_, I marveled at the solitude of the sea. I also marveled at the great irony that I would once again be ordering the largest and deadliest of all of man's creations of war to kill more men…an artillery officer…I felt as if it were my fate, my lot in life. Like a horse that could have ran in races or been used to gallop through the woods in hunts, but instead was broken only to pull the plow. This was my fate. I was the horse. War was the plow, and I could never free myself of the bit. Then, we reached our destination, and out of the morning fog broke the jagged outline of a coast.

The port reminded me of all the sketches I had seen of exotic far-off ports, the old world meeting the new. But is there really an "old" or a "new" world? We're all the same animal everywhere after all. I watched carefully as the stewards unloaded my oak trunk, the only effects I brought with me. My baggage was dwarfed by the crates, trunks and barrels brought by the major, as well as the four three inch bore ordnance guns and two mountain howitzers, whose massive barrels were being unloaded by cranes. The three of us departed the vessel that had been our home for so many weeks, and walked along the dock.

The people here, like the place, seemed to be a paradoxical blend of old and new. I saw men and women wearing odd black cloth sandal-boots and oriental-style clothing, but also commoners bustling about in the newest fashions from New York and Paris. So I gathered. I myself have never been one for fashion, even in an age of proper dress, and so clad in tall black cavalry boots, grey wool pants, a wrinkled off-white shirt and fringed buckskin jacket, notwithstanding my carrying my bowie-knife and 1858 Remington .44, and with my black hair past my shoulders, I fit in as well here as I usually did back home. Some things never change…

"Ah yes, hello. You must be the officers brought here to train the army, correct?" A voice asked quickly. I turned to see a man in a wrinkled suit staring at us eagerly."

"Yes." Major Clarke replied. "I am Major Phillip Clarke of the Unites States Army. This is Lieutenant Drake and First Sergeant Hodges. And you are…"

"Oh…yes…" The strange, chipper man said. "My name is Christian, Arthur Christian." He said it like a question, as if we were supposed to know of him. "I will act as a sort of middleman, you see. I have been here for months now, came over shortly after the Lord Hokage first began bringing in foreign advisers and such. In fact, I have been instructed to take you to the Hokage as soon as possible, so…yes, let's show you to your rooms and you may dress for the occasion." My first impression of Mr. Christian is the same one I get of all Christians…he talked too much, thinking words were an acceptable substitute for brilliance. Other than that, he seemed friendly enough.

In my room near the Hokage's palace…whatever they called it, I opened my trunk to dress for meeting this Danzo man. Inside the wooden box were several outfits, uniforms and clothing I had packed for this expedition. I smiled sardonically as I pulled up the blue frock-coat trimmed in red. I laid it back into the trunk, and drew out my gray frock, which I hadn't worn in years. As I looked on it, I remembered in vivid detail Chickamauga. Damned Bragg…the dead and those screaming for death. It had been bloody…costly…too costly. Thank God for Forrest…and for Slocomb and the Washington Artillery or it would've been worse. Damn it all…

Finally dressed in the uniform of a Confederate artillery lieutenant, I checked myself in the mirror, not out of vanity, but to make sure that when I met this Hokage, my appearance wouldn't offend my employer. I tugged the wrinkles out of my grey frock coat, and adjusted the red collar with the two gold bars of a lieutenant. I fastened my officer's belt around the coat, and made sure the saber was where it should be. I finished by brushing back my hair, and putting on my old black wide-brimmed hat with the crossed cannon emblem and red cord of an enlisted man, remembering how many battles this nonregulation, beaten up slouch hat had been through on my head. I sighed and stepped out of my room, ready to meet this Hokage.


	2. Chapter 2: Dogs of War

Chapter 2: Dogs of War

Entry Three

We climbed the stairs leading to the upper levels of the large structure belonging to Hokage Danzo. Mr. Christian was explaining to us how the Hokage was the ultimate authority in Konoha, much like a king or emperor , but his status was much more important.

"You see," Christian explained as we climbed ever higher inside the building, "The Hokage isn't just a…political leader. He is also considered the highest authority in spiritual matters as well…much like an Indian medicine man."

"Shaman…" I muttered. I was familiar with the concept of a man being a political, military and spiritual leader. I had spent some time after the war drifting around the west, and had wintered with the Lakota people, and spent the better part of a summer in the southwest, communing with the local Chiricahua tribesmen. These people seemed very similar to the native people I'd known. They were a warrior culture. A culture with old ways. Just like the Indians were resisting change in my own country, I supposed that there were warriors here who clung to the old ways and would fight like any Sioux or Apache to keep their way of life. My skill in battle had always been nothing more than my ability to analyze. Known who you're up against…know what your men and weapons …and theirs, can and cannot do. Find a weakness and exploit it. All very simple really. Now, I was already turning this ability toward my present situation. If I was being paid to win a war, I would know everything about my enemy. I would take my analysis of my foe into battle, and I would kill him before he could kill me…I had my doubts on the latter though. I thought it would be too simple to find an enemy that would finally put me down.

A double-door was opened, and we stepped into a circular room. On the far wall was a large glass window overlooking the city below. In front of the window was a desk, behind which sat one of the strangest, coldest looking men I have ever seen.

His head was bandaged like someone who had recently had his head split open, the white material wrapped around his messy black hair, down the side of his head, even covering one eye. His right arm was also bandaged in the same manner. The one eye left to look upon us reflected power, dominance, and unflinching resolve. There was something odd about him, however. Whether it was just a feeling born of being in the presence of someone of so much authority, or something I couldn't explain, I felt uneasy…as if his eye, which fell upon me, could pierce through my clothes, my flesh, down to my very soul. Almost as if he had read my thoughts, he gave a small chuckle. Beside him stood Mr. Akuma, an emotionless expression on his face.

"Lord Hokage…" Mr. Christian stated cordially, "These are the men, the Americans who have come…"

"Yes…I know." The great lord spoke. He smiled, but I detected no warmth in his countenance. "I did send for them to come, afterall." He looked at Major Clarke a moment, as if studying him. "Major Clarke…you come highly recommended. I do look forward to seeing if all I've heard about your abilities as an officer are true."

"I do my duty, Lord Hokage." Clarke replied soldierly. "I am in your employment, and will serve you to the best of my abilities, sir."

"I have no doubts about that, Major." The Hokage smiled. "I can tell already that you are exactly the sort of soldier I wanted." He looked back to me. "And you…Lieutenant Drake…your reputation as a field officer precedes you." I nodded politely. "And I wish to know…how destructive are these artillery pieces you brought?"

"With solid shot or shell," Major Clarke said. "They can effectively hit an enemy at ranges up to fifteen thousand yards."

"That is impressive." The Hokage mused. "fifteen thousand yards…what about close range?'

"Canister, sir." Clarke said. "Small lead balls." At close range, it has a scattering effect, a solid wall of lead balls. No army can stand up to it."

"Yes…" The Hokage said. "We shall see." He looked at me again. "And you will train some of my people to effectively use these artillery pieces?"

"Yes sir." I replied. "I'm sure I'll have them hitting the broad side of a barn in a day or two." Clarke cleared his throat, unimpressed with my snide comment. The Hokage grinned, and Mr. Akuma frowned and raised his nose in the air.

"I should hope so." The Hokage said, bringing his hands together in front of him. "Because these troublesome ninja are standing in the way of my country becoming a modern, civilized society. They are quite skilled, you must understand. That is why my regular army has been…ineffective against them."

"I've been meaning to ask…Lord Hokage," I interrupted. "Why are you placing such an emphasis on artillery anyhow? Why not use cavalry or infantry against these ninja?"

"Because artillery is the only thing that is effective." He answered. He stared at my confused expression. "They are very good. Do not underestimate them."

Entry Four

Training begins…when one gathers conscripts from farms, villages and town bakeries, gives them weapons and tells them they'll be learning how to make war, it always ends up the same…a mess. These Konohameru people were no different from the young southern farm boys who went to our own war. Give a man a rifle and tell him to shoot it at the enemy, teach him to march in unison, and you have infantry. Artillery is another matter. In addition to the complex military drills, we also had to train the men in the positions of the cannon, to load, fire, clean, advance the round in perfect harmony. Trained dogs of war.

Fortunately, Hodges was a master at training men, and soon we had the company drilled, and capable of firing the canons at an acceptable rate of fire. The precision of the fire, however…that was a different story.

"Perhaps they could hit the broadside of a barn…from inside the barn." I commented dryly to Hodges. He grinned.

"Fire!" He yelled. The fourth gun in the battery roared, and in the distance, the lone tree in a field stood defiantly as a solid shot passed twenty feet from it, landing a dozen or so yards behind the target. They needed a lot of work.

"Lieutenant!" A voice called. I turned to see Clarke approaching, with Akuma close behind, wearing the blue wool uniform of the new army of Konoha, copied from our uniform almost exactly. His coat was heavily braided with gold, and his collar bore the rank of brigadier general. He looked every bit as pompous and overdressed as Stuart during the war. With them walked a man I recognized as Captain Morino, the man the Hokage had placed in charge of the infantry, and beside the Hokage himself, the second ugliest, meanest looking man I had ever seen in my life. It had surprised me to learn that many of the officers in this army had been ninja once themselves. Morino had been a high ranking ninja in the country, and Hokage Danzo himself had been trained in the way of these strange warriors, but to what extent I do not know. There was also Lieutenant Mitarashi, a female officer in charge of all of the army scouts. A strange country…

"Major…" I said coldly.

"You are to limber up and move out as of six am tomorrow morning. The ninja attacked a railway depot two days march from here. The infantry will engage with artillery support." His order caught me off guard.

"Sir…" I replied. "The men aren't fully trained yet. We need at least another week."

"You aren't going to get it. The men know their duties, and seem to be able to work the guns well enough." I hesitated a moment. So many idiotic orders…

"Load number four!" I called. "Load, and shoot that tree yonder." The men began to go through the complicated procedures to load the large gun. I drew my revolver, and fired a shot over their heads. They nearly fell to the ground. "Faster!" I yelled. They moved quickly now, shoving the powder into the muzzle. I fired another shot. The man working the rammer barely managed to shove the long pole down the barrel with shaking hands. "Faster, damnit, or I'll drill you all clean through!" I screamed, firing another shot over the gun as the officers watched sternly, getting the point I was trying to make. Number four dropped his pick, and fumbled to pick it up as the sweating and shaking gunner turned the elevation screw, trying to aim the piece. They finally readied the gun, and fired, missing the tree by yards.

"Again! Load! Load!" I bellowed. The men were wrecks now, barely able to carry out their duties. The powder monkey dropped the charge. The man with the rammer struck the muzzle repeatedly, trying desperately to find the hole in the tube. I fired twice more as they frantically loaded the ball. I walked directly in front of the muzzle, and pointed my pistol at the gunner. "Shoot me, or by God, I'll blow your head off." I growled, hoping to finally put an end to my career. He shoved a primer into the touch hole with tears in his eyes, and pulled the lanyard. The cannon did not fire. They had failed to pick the powder bag. I nodded to the crew. "You did well, men." I said softly. "At ease." I walked over to the group of officers, and looked into Clarke's eyes. "They're not ready for a fight." I stated.

"Men," He ordered. "Limber up the guns."


	3. Chapter 3: The Ninja

Chapter 3: The Ninja

Entry 5

We marched nearly thirty miles in two days, mules pulling the six cannon of our battery, while the men marched wearily on. The first night, we made camp, and I sat in my tent, listening to Mr. Christian tell of the ninja, the strange, skilled fighters whom we were making war against.

"The ninja you see, can draw upon an internal power source they call 'chakra'" Christian said. I listened carefully, wanting to know every belief, every tactic, every possible thought of my enemy. "From which they can execute seemingly impossible movements of their bodies."

"Uh-huh…" I said, skeptical. "Like what, for instance?"

"Well, I've never seen it myself…I mean with my own two eyes…" He replied. "And those who were ninja who now fight for the Hokage are forbidden to use those practices in view of…outsiders." He gestured around the tent where he, myself and Sergeant Hodges sat. "With the exception of Lieutenant Mitarashi. She is allowed to use her training while scouting for the enemy."

"As to their abilities…" I said.

"Ah yes. They can leap into tall trees, so it's said, and move from tree to tree as quietly and quickly as a squirrel."

"What kind of weapons do they use?" I asked. "And what is the strength of their cavalry and artillery?"

"They don't have cavalry or artillery." He answered. "And they use primarily edged weapons and throwing daggers."

"They throw knives, and the Hokage can't best them with armed infantry?" I asked incredulously.

"They are fast, Mr. Drake." Christian said. "Fast and fierce." They say that some of the ninja can even breathe fire, hypnotize you, or throw balls of lightning."

"Well, I find _that_ hard to believe. It's all just superstition." Hodges said with a wave of the hand.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss it." I cautioned. "All fiction is based on some fact."

"I've been trying to write a book on the ninja for some time." Mr. Christian said. "I'm glad you've taken such an interest in them."

"I don't give a damn about the ninja." I said. "I just want to know my enemy."

By the evening of the second day, we came to the railway depot, the end of the line for the new railroad I learned that the Hokage had built using conscript labor. The enemy had destroyed the buildings, blown the track, and a dozen guards lay dead. I noticed that there wasn't a single civilian dead, just members of the Hokage's army that had been assigned to guard the outpost. It occurred to me that the only person who stood to profit from this venture of becoming civilized was the Hokage himself. But it's best not to question such things. I was being paid to be a soldier, and that's all.

Entry 6

Scouts reported the enemy close. We drew up into line of battle in a clearing in a vast forest. The infantry, some200 men under Captain Morino, and 20 scouts under Lieutenant Mitarashi formed two neat rows, their Springfield rifled muskets at the ready. Our artillery was placed on the right of the infantry, our six guns spaced and angled to provide an excellent field of fire. Lt. Mitarashi's scouts were on our right, providing support for our cannon. I could tell from Lt. Mitarashi's face she was apprehensive about facing our enemy. Remembering that the ninjas were known for fast, effective strikes, I ordered the gunners to load and hold at the ready. Captain Morino looked about as if he could sense the enemy nearby.

"Men, come to the ready." He ordered calmly. "I expect a kill from every rifle on this line."

"You know what you're expected to do." Lt. Mitarashi said to her scouts. "So do it, and do it right." She looked back toward the trees ahead nervously. Major Clarke rode up on a fine brown mare.

"Lieutenant, you and Sergeant Hodges pull back to the rear."

"No sir." I replied. "I'm staying with my guns."

"You're a paid consultant." Clarke said.

"I'm a soldier." I replied. Clarke sighed and rode off, Mr. Christian close behind with his camera and bag of notes. Then, there was a silence, a dead calm as we all stood, armed for war, waiting on an enemy we couldn't see, but knew was near.

"Damn." Mitarashi muttered. I was about to ask what was wrong, when a soldier in Morino's line fell dead, a knife in his chest. Suddenly from the woods ahead of us, a hailstorm of knives and throwing weapons poured upon our line.

"Fire!" I ordered. The cannons fired their explosive shells into the woods. At once, in the gathering darkness, I saw silhouetted against the sky, the form of a young man. He pointed toward us as if issuing orders. From out of the trees, like birds, came the ninja. They were in front of us, on the flanks. I had never seen anything like it, and I was struck dumb for a moment. Were these men or spirits?" I drew my pistol.

"Load!" I commanded. Morino's men were firing at the approaching swarm of ninjas, but I saw none felled. My men were trying to load the guns. Too late. They fell upon us. I saw the large, burly man who worked the rammer for gun two try to fight off one of the attackers, a teenage boy in green and orange. The boy delivered a kick that broke the solid oak rammer in half, and sent the poor man flying through the air. It was an artillery officer's nightmare; the guns were overran. I looked to our support. Lieutenant Mitarashi was running away from the fighting. She leapt high into a tree and was gone. The scouts were being decimated. I fired at one of the ninja. To my horror, he dodged the bullet, and before I could react, was right upon me. He swung a fast blow. I dodged his punch and leapt over a cannon. My men were being killed, and from the sound of it, Morino's men weren't faring any better. I jumped to my feet. A ninja stood before me. He kicked toward my head. I shot him three times and he went down. To my relief, I had discovered that they could be killed, something I was beginning to doubt. I felt a blow on my back, and the next thing I knew, I was flying forward toward the ground. I hit the dirt and rolled over. Another ninja threw a knife. I rolled out of the way as it stuck into the ground where my head had been. He prepared to throw another, and I raised my pistol and fired twice, wounding him in the shoulder. I stood. Hodges was a few yards away. He had engaged one of the warriors with his huge bowie-knife. His opponent, a boy in a fur-lined coat snarled a grin. The boy crouched down on all fours like an animal, and plowed into Hodges with lightning speed. I knew the old sergeant was done, and looked for my own way out. But I was surrounded.

Six ninja stood around me. I raised my pistol and fired. The hammer snapped against an empty chamber. I realized that these warriors, mostly teenagers, were going to tear me limb from limb, but I wasn't going to go down without a fight. I held my pistol by the barrel, and drew my sword. They came at me. The first swung with a long pole, and I parried with my sword. I swung my pistol, which he dodged. A girl dressed in purple leapt forward, her foot aimed at my head. I barely dodged her, and used my pistol to knock her to the ground. The boy in the fur-lined coat shot at me like a cannon ball, and I landed painfully on the ground. He tore at my throat, but I kicked his legs from under him. I tired to stand, but the golden-haired girl in purple threw a dagger that sunk into my left arm. I ripped it out and reached for my sword. The boy who had dove into me kicked me hard in the ribs, knocking me onto my back. I looked up, tasting blood, to see four of the ninjas standing over me, knives drawn.

"Stop." A voice ordered. The ninja backed away. A teenager dressed in an orange outfit, with yellow hair in an impossible style stepped forward. I felt myself growing light-headed. The boy in the orange knelt beside me. I closed my eyes and unable to move, slumped to the ground. "We'll take him with us."

"He's pretty messed up." I heard another male voice say."

"Sakura can treat him." I heard the boy answer before I lost consciousness. "Trust me, we need him…believe it."


	4. Chapter 4: A Captive

Chapter 4: A Captive

_Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I've had a long streak of bad luck and injuries, and in fact as I post this chapter, I'm writhing in agony from a wisdom tooth that needed to be pulled months ago. Once I'm back to 100%, I'm going to try to get more done on my fics though. Meanwhile, enjoy this chapter._

Entry Seven

I awoke on a low bed in a small room. My head hurt, and my chest ached terribly. As my vision came into focus, I looked around the room. A young woman with pink hair, wearing a sleeveless shirt of a darker pink than her hair stood in a corner, leaned against the wall. She noticed my movements, and approached my bed. The girl leaned over me, and shone a light into my eyes, first one, and then the other.

"No serious trauma." She said. "You shouldn't try to move too much."

"Oh?" I asked my young nurse, forcing a smile. She gave me an evil look for a second.

"You had three fractured ribs, a concussion, a wound in your arm and some internal injuries, but I treated you, and you should recover in a couple days."

"Ah…" I said wearily. "I suppose I should thank you for tinkering me up then…"

"Hm." She replied bitterly. "You're just lucky to have survived. Kiba's attacks are pretty destructive." She picked up a cup of liquid. "Here, drink this, it'll help you sleep until you're healed up."

"I'd prefer…I'd like some whiskey." I groaned.

"Whiskey?" The girl asked.

"Alcohol…" I replied weakly. "You know…whiskey, bourbon, liquor…"

"Oh…" She whispered. She walked to a cabinet full of bottles and vials, and returned with a large bottle. "Sake." She said. "Rice wine." She poured a cupful, and touched it to my lips. "Uh-uh…" She said, pulling it away. "Take the medicine first."

"Damnit…" I groaned. I grabbed the cup of bitter liquid sitting next to me and poured it down my throat. She handed me the sake, and I drank greedily. Again, sleep overtook me.

I awoke again. Hours, days, I don't know how much later. I found myself in the same bed in the same room. My head throbbed from a combination of injury, medicine and alcohol. I groaned and sat up, holding my head. My vision was blurry, and as it cleared up, I noticed a cup of cool, clean water sitting on the table beside my bed. I drank it down, and stood up, stretching my muscles. The room was empty. The young pink-haired woman who had tended to me was gone. Or had I just imagined her? I walked to the door and tried the knob, to find it locked, as I had assumed. But suddenly, the heavy door opened. Standing there was a young man, his black hair tied in a pony-tail, a silver hoop earring in his left ear like a merchant seaman who had just stepped off of a clipper or something.

"Um…hello, I suppose." I said. His face remained stolid and uninterested as he looked at me with half-closed eyes. "I suppose I'm your prisoner, but I would like some fresh air if that's possible." I moved my left arm. It was still a little stiff and sore. "Don't think I'm in much condition to try to run for it, eh?" The young man just stared stupidly at me. "Damnit…you don't speak English…" He groaned irritably.

"Yeah…I speak English..." He replied. I waited for him to say something else, but he just stood there.

"So…what are you going to do with me?" I asked. "Am I to be hanged?"

"Pshh…No." He answered. "And I'm supposed to take you to see someone, so don't make it hard on me. This is already a major drag."

"Um…I see…" I said. "Well, I'll go willingly, as long as I'm not headed to the gallows."

"Whatever…" He sighed. I followed him out of the room, and down a short hall. We walked out of a doorway, and into a small village. The buildings were little more than wood and mud huts with thatched roofs. Some of the buildings were larger than the rest, and one of notable size stood at the far end of the village. Despite its primitive construction, I was beginning to take in the town's quaint charm, when another young man approached. This one wore a white robe-like shirt and pants. His black hair hung to nearly his waist where it was loosely bound. I recognized him as one of the ninjas I had fought during the battle.

"Shikamaru…" The newcomer said gravely. "I see the prisoner recovered." He glowered at me.

"Yeah…I'm supposed to take him to Naruto, so don't do anything hasty, Neji."

"Hmph." The one called Neji replied. "I should kill him right now. He killed two of our people, and now he is our prisoner. It is his destiny to meet his end at our hands."

"Maybe it's my destiny to meet this Naruto fellow and be pardoned." I wasn't about to let this young know-it-all talk about me like some horse thief.

"You should be careful…foreigner." Neji said angrily. "I could destroy you in four blows." My escort, Shikamaru just sighed and rolled his eyes. Prisoner or not, I was getting tired of this boy's boasting.

"I never met a man who could put me down in four blows." I replied. "And if you try it son, I think you'll get a few good hits from _me_."

"Really?" Neji asked smugly.

"Man…I knew this would be a drag…" Shikamaru groaned and stepped a few paces away. I raised my fists in a fighting posture. The swaggering upstart got into a strange position with his palms open.

"Oh man Neji," Shikamaru complained. "Isn't that a little overboard?" I stepped forward and swung a punch at my opponent, but to my surprise, he dodged with amazing speed and agility. I swung another fist, but hit air. Then, I heard him call out:

"Second trigram, four palms!"

"What the…" I started to say, but the next thing I knew, it felt like a train had just plowed into me at full speed. I flew backwards, landing on my back. I coughed and gasped, my lungs fighting for air. Slowly I climbed to my feet, and faced the boy again.

"It would do you well to admit defeat." Neji stated. "I _will_ kill you." We had drawn a crowd at this point, and as I looked around, I noticed the strange kid in the green suit from the battle, the guy in the furry coat, who I took to be Kiba, and a lovely-looking young lady in baggy red pants and a white shirt. Our eyes met a moment, and she looked away coldly. Alright, if this was an exhibition of skill, I wasn't going to give up that easily. I spat, and lunged forward at the lad, who sidestepped before I could land my blow. I felt a sharp pain in my side, and coughed violently. Blood coated my lips, and I spat it out. I looked at the one called Neji a moment, astounded at his speed and strength. Suddenly my vision blurred and my legs collapsed from under me.

"H…how…" I gasped before I collapsed on the ground.

"Hn." Neji scoffed. "I didn't attack your body. I attacked the muscles and nerves that control your body. It was over when I first touched you." I fought the pain and weakness, and was able to get to my knees.

"Heh…" I scoffed back. I managed a small smile.

"And what is so funny?" Neji asked angrily.

"I took five hits…and I'm still not down. "

"Now you die!" He cried, and spun about, ready to deliver a death-blow.

"Neji, stop!" A voice commanded. Neji's hand stopped an inch from my face. I looked to see who had spoken the command. A teen-age boy in an orange outfit stood in the crowd. His blonde hair was spiked in the most impossible style imaginable, and he had a look on his face that could've soured fresh milk.

"Man, Neji…" The boy spoke. "I said I didn't want the foreigner harmed." Neji backed away from me.

"I suppose I got a little carried away." Neji replied." The boy then looked to my escort.

"And you were supposed to be watching him."

"I was watching him." Shikamaru replied. "He never left my sight the entire time." My guard smiled mischievously. The newcomer looked at him a moment, and gave a small smile of his own.

"Well, at least he isn't dead." The blonde-haired boy said. "But Sakura's gonna be mad. She spent all that time healing him. Heh." He walked over and held out a helping hand. I grasped it, and he helped me to my feet.

"Hmm." I mused out loud. "You must be the chief…"

"Huh?" He asked.

"Um…the war-chief…shaman…head-man…"

"Man, what are you talking about?" The boy asked, confused.

"You're the man in charge…am I right?" I asked, placing some of my weight on Shikamaru to remain standing.

"Heh heh." He smiled. "The man in charge. I like that title." He looked around. "Well, what are you staring at, guys? I told you he wasn't a threat." The crowd mumbled and departed. He turned back to me. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki. I guess I'm the unofficial leader of all the ninja teams here." His grin said it all. I'd seen the same grin on the faces of young privates when handed their corporal stripes, and on the countenance of many a young man who found out he was just commissioned lieutenant.

"Yeah…" I said. "It's an honor to meet you and all, but where am I?"

"Shikamaru, let's take him into my house. We can talk there."


	5. Chapter 5: Naruto Uzumaki's Rebellion

Chapter 5: Naruto Uzumaki's Rebellion

Entry 8

I sat in the large house at the end of the village, in a room with woven straw flooring, watching this Naruto Uzumaki eat an enormous bowl containing some kind of noodles, some kind of meat, and slices of egg. When he was finished, he sat the bowl aside.

"Sure you don't want some ramen?" He asked. "I mean, it's not as good as Ichiraku's, and we're out of miso, but…"

"I'm sure, thank you." I said. "I want to know why you brought me here." He smiled and crossed his arms.

"I want to know my enemy." He said smugly. "I want to know his strengths, his weaknesses, his weapons…"

"Heh…you found my journal then." I sighed. He held up my leather-bound diary.

"Sakura found it in your possessions and brought it to me." Uzumaki replied. "You've had an interesting life so far. At least I think so."

"What business is my life of yours?" I asked.

"Well what business is our life of yours?" Uzumaki retorted. "I mean, you travelled across an ocean to fight us, and you really don't know who we are? How sad is that?"

"Sad…" I stated. I didn't know how to answer his question. There really was no answer to it. He was right. I had no business mixing up in these people's affairs. Just then, there was a knock at the door, and the pink haired girl who had treated me entered.

"Naruto?" She asked. She looked at me. "Ah. I heard you were interrogating the foreigner."

"Actually, we're having a good conversation, Sakura." Uzumaki replied. He looked at me. "This is Sakura. She was the one who healed you. Sakura, this is…" He slapped his head.

"You mean you haven't even asked him his name?" Sakura exclaimed angrily. "You knucklehead!"

"I was getting around to it!" Naruto answered defensively.

"Drake." I said. The two stopped bickering and looked back to me.

"Drake…" Sakura said. "Funny name." She sat down next to Uzumaki and smiled. "So, you must be some famous army leader or something for Danzo to bring you here."

"I did my part in a war in our own country." I said.

"Were you like a general or something?" Naruto asked, as if he were hoping to meet Genghis Khan or George Washington.

"I was a lieutenant." I replied. They sat, staring at me a few moments. "Um…middle rank."

"Ohhhh…" They both said in unison.

"And what were those big things you had?" Naruto asked. "You know, the big metal things that shoot fire and take down trees. Is that like some sort of jutsu they do in your country?"

"Yeah," Sakura added. "Because it wasn't all that effective."

"Oh…" I said, realizing what they were talking about. "Those are cannon. Artillery pieces."

"Cannon artillery pieces?" Sakura asked.

"Cannons are like big metal tubes that shoot iron balls." I explained.

"Like the guns that Danzo's army uses?" Naruto asked.

"Only bigger." I replied. "Much bigger. And the balls can explode. That's my duty, you see…I am an artillery officer…an officer who commands the cannon."

"Still not very effective if you ask me." Sakura stated. "You didn't hit anything out there but trees."

"Nothing?"

"Nope." Naruto answered.

"Hm." I said. I felt bad for some reason.

"Would you shoot a cannon at me now?" Uzumaki asked. "Like…now that we've talked and everything?"

"Yes…I…No…" I stammered. "Damn it all, I don't know!" I stood up. "Why are you keeping me here? What do you people want from me?" Uzumaki slowly rose to his feet and Sakura cast her eyes down a moment.

"What do you want from you?" Uzumaki asked. The striking simplicity of the question struck me dumb for a moment.

"I want a little peace in life!" I responded angrily. "Is that too much to ask from you, from Major Clarke…from that Idiot Breckenridge or the God that made us all?" To my surprise, both of the ninjas smiled.

"What the hell are you smiling at?" I asked. "Why don't you let me go, or send me back or kill me or something?"

Entry 9

I continue to stay in the village, under guard. I was surprised to learn that the ninja under Uzumaki believe that they are fighting for Konohameru, which they call the hidden leaf. They had once pledged to defend the country from any threat, and believing Hokage Danzo to be a threat, they wage their war against Danzo and his army, not the hidden leaf or its people.

I have never seen such dedication or skill in a human being before these ninja. They are capable of some of the most fantastic and impossible feats imaginable. The lad in the green suit, who I learned to be named Lee (of all things) is able to break rocks and boards with his fist. Naruto Uzumaki himself can create many replicas or clones of himself, all of which can physically attack an opponent. The one called Kiba can communicate with dogs, a skill I thought to be asinine at first, until I saw him training with his huge dog and realized that he can coordinate attacks with dogs as if he is part of a pack of wolves.

These people are amazing. Their strength and their skill is unspeakable. They are the greatest warriors I have ever seen, and yet they harbor such a love for each other and their people. Not many of the warriors here are over the age of eighteen or twenty years, and I learned that most of their teachers or commanders, their "sensei's" were put to death, or like Morino and Mitarashi, became part of Danzo's army. Nonetheless, these young people are mature far beyond the weak measurement of age.

I was allowed to walk through the forest bordering the village, being told that there were guards everywhere, not that I'd know where to run to even if I tried to escape. At least it was something I could do, somewhere I could go and ponder the strange events that have beset me. And so I walked among the trees until I reached a small clearing. Peering through the bushes, I spied the young lady I had seen before when I was severely beaten. She was training, throwing weapon after weapon into targets placed on trees. The rapidity at which she could produce a knife, axe or dagger and throw it was amazing. It was like a walking Gatling that fired knives instead of bullets. As I watched from my concealed position, the brown-haired girl made several signs with her hands. She then leapt high into the air with catlike speed, spinning like a top, with two streamers twirling around her. From the streamers, using the strange magic these people have, she materialized weapon after weapon, hurling them with precision into the targets. She soon landed on her feet, panting with exhaustion. I was amazed at her skill and her beauty. My musing was cut short when a long black knife landed between the toes of my boots.

"I know you're standing there, so you'd might as well come on out." She called dryly. I stepped from the foliage nervously.

"Heh…sorry about that, miss." I said. "I was just out for a walk and I came upon you…I didn't want to disturb you."

"So you decided to hide in the bushes and watch me like a perv, huh?" She asked, placing her gloved hands on her hips. I smiled.

"I said I'm sorry." I repeated. "I've just never seen anyone able to throw weapons like that."

"No?" She asked strangely, as if I were supposed to have seen girls firing knives like bullets every day of my life.

"Well…I once saw an Indian throw a tomahawk into a tree from ten paces, but that's less impressive than you, I assure you dear." She smiled.

"A…tomahawk?" She asked.

"It's like a hatchet or small axe." I explained.

"Hmm…" She mused. "Like this?" She ran her right hand over one of the banners, and in a puff of smoke, a small axe appeared in her hand. In the blink of an eye, she hurled it, splitting one of the targets in two.

"Well," I said, "you have outdone the Indian." She giggled innocently.

"You're the foreigner." She said. "The one Naruto brought back from the battle."

"I am. My name is Lieutenant Drake. I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure of learning your name though."

"Ten Ten." She said. "You know, you're interesting." I smiled, and she smiled back. There was something about this girl I found irresistible.

"Am I?" I asked lackadaisically.

"You were the only enemy combatant to kill or injure any of us at close range." She said. "Yet you don't seem at all like a ninja."

"Well, that's probably because I'm not." I replied. "I'm just a soldier. And I'm at your service." She crossed her arms.

"Well, you're still an enemy soldier, and a prisoner at that, so don't go getting too friendly, mister."

"Oh, I shouldn't do that." I said with a smile. I could see that she was trying not to smile herself. "Although I would like to learn how to use knives like you do."

"Hm. And why should I teach you any of my jutsu?" Ten Ten asked dryly.

"I don't know." I replied. "Maybe because I think it's amazing." She looked at me dourly a moment. "And I guess I wouldn't mind being your student." She smiled and shook her head.

"You're weird." She said. "Guys from here don't act like that."

"And girls from my country aren't warriors." I retorted. "Most of them just cook and sew clothes, and a few won't even do that. So I guess in comparison, you're…weird."

"Hm." She scoffed, giving an amused smile. She produced a long black knife with a loop at the end of the handle. "Here. This is called a kunai. It's one of the chief ninja weapons." I held the weapon, feeling its balance. "Try to hit that target over there." I looked at the nearby target.

"Okay…" I whispered to myself. I held the knife and raised it."

"Visualize the target." Ten Ten said. I threw the kunai, and watched it fly awkwardly through the air, missing the target and the tree." Ten Ten giggled.

"Geez. You're hopeless." She said.

"I tell myself that every day." I replied. She handed me another kunai dagger.

"Try again. This time, clear your mind."

"Clear my mind?" I asked.

"Yeah. Like you have to focus on the target, on the kunai, and on the kunai hitting the target. You can't hit anything if your mind is on other things like the people watching, how hungry you are, how hot it is… cute girls." She nudged me and I smiled.

"Ah…okay." I said. I took a deep breath, and forgot about everything but the target. I threw the knife. It hit the edge of the target, but didn't stick.

"Wow." Ten Ten said.

"What?"

"I didn't think you could do it so fast. You're a quick learner."

"Or I had a good teacher." I replied. She handed me another kunai.

"Try it again." She said. I started to clear my mind.

"Ten Ten!" A voice called. I looked to see Neji approaching from the woods. Lee and Kiba were close behind. He stopped a few feet from me and stared into my eyes wrathfully. "You, foreigner…drop that weapon." I looked down at the dagger in my hand.

"No." I said brashly. He moved into his familiar fighting stance.

"Drop it, or I will make you." He ordered.

"Neji…" Ten Ten said. "Don't…"

"Ten Ten." Neji replied. "You shouldn't be fraternizing with the enemy. This man fought our people. He is not an ally or a guest. And he _will_ learn his place." He turned his attention back to me. "Now, either put down that kunai, or fight me."

"What if I do neither?" I asked. I could see him growing more and more angry.

"Then I will have to disarm you!" In a flash, he had grabbed my arm, delivered a powerful blow to my gut, and thrown me to the ground. I coughed, and got to my feet. I tried to throw a punch, but he dodged, and I felt a throbbing pain in my head. My legs gave out, and I fell, the kunai skittering across the ground.

"You see?" Neji said. "You will always loose to me. Accept your fate." I fought the pain and dizziness, and managed to crawl toward the kunai. I placed my hand on it, and rose to my knees, a defiant smile on my lips. "Fool!" Neji cried. He struck my chest with his palm, sending me flying backwards. I landed on my back, but after a few moments, I rolled onto my stomach and tried to stand. My body felt decimated, and my muscles wouldn't do as I wanted them.

"Why will you not accept defeat?" Neji called.

"Be…because…" I stammered. "Unlike you…my friend…I have nothing to lose by dying." I got back to my knees, and weakly held the kunai out in front of me.

"He's got guts, I have to admit that." I heard Kiba comment.

"He has guts and a strong heart." Lee added. Neji walked over to me.

"Hyuga style." Neji said, taking a fighting stance.

"No…Neji, don't!" Ten Ten gasped.

"First trigram…one palm!" I felt as if a cannonball had struck my chest, and I was propelled backward again. I coughed, and blood spattered out. I groaned in agony as I rose to my knees again, and tried to stand.

"I…I don't believe it." Lee said. I fought through the searing pain and stood, panting.

"Is..is that…all?" I whispered. Neji prepared himself for another attack.

"Please Neji…" Ten Ten begged. "Stop it!"

"Second trigram, four palms!" Again, I flew backward, striking a tree and colliding with the ground. I couldn't move. My body was broken, and I could feel the broken bones grinding against each other inside me. I opened my eyes a little. The kunai was a couple feet from my hand. I tried to drag myself to it, inch by inch. Finally my fingertips touched its blade. I wrapped my fingers around it, and slowly pushed myself up, my arms and legs shaking. I lifted my head.

"I…" I could barely manage a whisper.

"What?" Neji asked.

"I'm…not…dis…disarmed." My head dropped, and I could hear him approaching.

"Please…Neji…" I heard Ten Ten plead. I felt a pressure on my back, and everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6: New Friends and Allies

Chapter 6: New Friends and Allies

Entry 10

I awoke to the sound of slurping. I opened my eyes feebly. Uzumaki was seated nearby, eating a bowl of ramen noisily. He saw my awakening, and set the bowl down.

"Hey Sakura!" He called cheerfully. "He's waking up!" The pink-haired girl looked down on me, and shined her light into my eyes.

"He'll be okay." She said. "You know, I thought Naruto had a bad habit of getting into trouble, but I think you might be as big a knucklehead as he is."

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Oh…that?" I asked. "I was just…learning some fighting skills."

"That's not what I heard." Naruto said. "I heard Neji pummeled you like a training dummy."

"It wasn't too bad." I managed to smile.

"Yeah, well if Ten ten hadn't stopped him, he'd have probably done a number on you that even I couldn't treat." Sakura commented. "Now try not to move around too much."

"Poppycock." I said. I tried to sit up, but the pain made me fall back to the bed. I felt something laying on my chest. I reached up and took hold of it. It was a kunai. "What…" Sakura smiled.

"Ten ten came by. She left it as a gift. Looks like you made a friend."

"So it does." I said. "So, since I'm an invalid for a while…"

"Yeah?" Sakura asked.

"Why don't you two tell me about this war…how did it start…why?"

"Well, I guess we have to go back a little." Sakura said. "Back long before Danzo came to power. The hidden villages of the five great lands all had ninja. We were the balance of power so to speak between the nations. Because of that, everybody lived in peace…mostly."

"I follow." I nodded.

"But there were those who didn't want peace. They wanted war between the nations for whatever reasons, or they wanted power for themselves. At the time, the hokage, the greatest ninja in the land of fire…"  
"Wait, miss." I interrupted, "Danzo is…a ninja?"

"Well, um…yeah. Why?" Sakura replied.

"Then why…"

"Well, let me get to that!" She said. "The hokage, when Naruto and I were still young gennin…new ninja, was killed in a battle with Orochimaru, one of the three sanin…"

"You've lost me again, Miss Sakura." I sighed. I stared up at the ceiling.

"Orochimaru is a really bad ninja who was like really powerful." Naruto explained. "But the old man was able to seal his jutsu before he died. But then he took our teammate Sasuke…" They both paused and a look of sadness swept over their faces a moment. "He left the village to get more powerful. Then, there was a bunch of adventures and stuff, and I was taught by Pervy Sage, then Gaara was kidnapped by the Akatsuki…"

"Naruto, you're screwing up the story!" Sakura exclaimed. "Sorry Lieutenant. Anyway, I guess Danzo had been waiting for an opportunity to usurp the title of Hokage, and during a period of unrest throughout the lands, he did just that. Only, he started passing laws and rewriting the ways of the land. He convinced the leaders of two other villages and the leaders of the lands to join him in making the lands more prosperous and modern. It was all a plot to gain control of their governments. Once he had done that, he used the shinobi of the villages to take over other lands. Then he dismantled the concept of…ninja."

"Damn…" I muttered. I had known there was something dark about Danzo when I had met him, but I had no idea that he was capable of this level of skullduggery.

"He ordered the ninja of the land to serve under him as leaders of his new army, and forbade the use of jutsu. All who refused, and everyone he thought would make problems were…"

"Removed." I said. They nodded.

"We are about all that's left of the ninja in this land. We've been trying to find a way to overthrow Danzo and bring peace back, but it…" Sakura cast he gaze to the ground and said in a sad voice, "…it all seems like a hope that's dimming each day."

"How many of you are there?" I asked.

"About fifteen in our village." Naruto replied. "And a few villagers and kids, but they're not really ninja."

"Fifteen." I repeated. "Anyone else who will fight with you? No isolated groups elsewhere?"

"Well…" Sakura said.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said. "But…"

"What?" I queried.

"He abandoned the village, and we haven't even heard from him in so long." Sakura said. "He doesn't care…I mean, we've tried sending word to him, but…"

"Well…" I continued. "Anyone else?"

"The only other ninja left who aren't loyal to Danzo are Sasuke and the Akatsuki," Naruto said, "But there aren't but a couple of _them_ left."

"I see." I stated.

"And every time we go up against Danzo and his army, there are less of us…" Sakura said.

"I thought you said we weren't effective against you in the last battle…" I remarked.

"Comparatively…" Sakura answered. "Normally, if one side looses three or four, and the other looses fifty or a hundred, it's a one-sided battle…but every one of us we lose…"

"Every friend that falls…" Naruto said, clenching a fist in mental anguish.

"I understand." I muttered. I sighed. "What about this Sasuke? Has anyone tried contacting him…or this Akatsuki?"

"Yeah…but no one knows where they are." Sakura replied. "And we can't spare anyone to send out as trackers." I thought about all of this a moment, mulling it over in my head. "So…" Sakura said, "how long are you going to wear those clothes?" The random question caught me off guard.

"Huh?"

"Your clothes." Sakura said. You've been wearing that strange outfit since you got here."

"Oh." It was true, I realized. I had been wearing my uniform for how long now? A week? Two? "I hadn't really packed for an extended trip." I said with a smile. I suddenly felt a pain in my head and groaned, nearly losing consciousness.

"Here." Sakura said, quickly reaching a small cup of liquid to my lips. I drank, and a drowsiness came over me. "Just rest. You'll be alright in a couple days." I closed my eyes as thoughts of war and this strange place I had become part of raced through my mind.


	7. Chapter 7: The Way of the Ninja

Chapter 7: The Way of the Ninja

Entry 11…

The date…I do not know. The month…I do not know. Days pass as I remain in this village of Naruto's.

After awakening after my discussion with Uzumaki and Sakura, I found a new outfit had been placed beside my bed. I tried it on, and it fit perfectly, though a little trying to get used to. Whoever had given me these strange clothes had included a black short sleeved tunic or shirt with a high, wide collar, a pair of grey pants, of the same fabric as the shirt, and a pair of the odd, toe-less shoes everyone here wears. I admit, the clothes were comfortable, but I doubt they would ever become stylish in Paris or New York.

I stepped out of the room into the foyer of the building I was in. I inhaled deeply and stretched my sore arms. Ten Ten walked by, and stopped as she noticed me. I smiled, and she looked me up and down, obviously studying me in my new garb. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the kunai, holding it up I bowed like an actor. She put her fingers to her mouth and giggled, before jogging off. Shy one…

Upon hearing several voices, I walked to a corral of sorts in the center of the village to find the source of the hullabaloo. There, several of the ninja were gathered around the makeshift arena as Neji and the one called Lee were engaged in a sparring match. I found a spot next to Shikamaru and watched the display. Lee's abilities were amazing to say the least. I've never seen anyone capable of such acrobatics and speed. Neji on the other hand seemed to be using the same method of fighting he demonstrated on me. As they fought, I realized that neither was really able to strike the other, blocking and parrying every punch and kick the other could throw.

"I do believe Lee is faster than any fighter I've ever seen." I commented to Shikamaru. "So why can't he land a blow on Neji?"

"Hm." The dark-haired young man shrugged. "You really don't understand chakra do you?" He answered.

"Never even heard of it." I admitted.

"Figures." He pointed to Neji. "Neji there can see the energy generated inside the bodies of every living thing. He can analyze a person's power and ability, and strike in the most effective places in a microsecond. Lee if fast alright, but it doesn't matter if your opponent can see your chakra and control his own effortlessly."

"Ah…" I said. "Chakra. That is the source of all the tricks you people can do, right? I mean, you learn to control this energy, and then use it like a power source to attack and defend." Shikamaru raised his eyebrow and smiled slightly.

"Man, you catch on quick, don't you?" He asked. I grinned.

"I pay attention to details." I replied. "And let me guess…you all have natural inclinations that allow you to use chakra differently…like Kiba's ability to talk to dogs, Neji's perfect attacks, or Naruto's ability to make doppelgangers."

"I'm impressed actually." Shikamaru said. "But still…knowing is one thing, doing is something else entirely."

"Indeed." I said. We watched the sparring for a few moments more. "I want to learn." I finally said.

Entry 12

Controlling the chakra…I cannot really explain the technique in words. Sakura, it turns out is the best in the village at chakra control, and so she has taken it upon herself to teach me this, which she said was the key to becoming a ninja. However, after failing several times at my exercises, I became frustrated, and convinced that I could never harness this invisible inner power.

"Are you certain everyone possesses this chakra?" I asked my teacher. "Maybe it's something that only people here have, like a birthright or something." The pink-haired girl sighed.

"Every _thing_ possesses chakra." Sakura said. "All in different levels and with people, in different…" She thought for a moment. She stood, and walked to a shelf which contained a few books and scrolls. She pulled one of the tomes from the shelf and nodded. Returning, she sat down on the rug and opened the book. "Alright, Drake." She said. "Try building up chakra inside your eyes. Feel it rushing to your head." I sighed, and began to focus. "Now…" Sakura began. She opened wide the book and showed me the page. It contained a diagram of a ninja atop a tree with one some distance away on the ground. The distance between the two was given, as well as the height of the tree. It was a question pertaining to speed and velocity of projectiles.

"Dependant on the angle, speed must be adjusted accordingly…" I began. "But the most logical would be despite the distance above the target, to release the knife at a fifteen degree angle with a speed of 30 feet per second." I paused. "How did I do that?" Sakura smiled. She pointed to the wall where three small beams, part of the support, stood no more than two inches apart.

"Now, really channel your chakra." She said. Feel it rising from your chest into your head, and flowing into your eyes and the nerves connecting your eyes with your brain. I used the calming, meditative technique she had taught me and focused as hard as I could. "Okay, now soon as I throw this shuriken," She said, holding up a star-shaped weapon. "I want you to tell me which one of those pillars it's going to hit. Say 'one' for the one on the left, 'two' for the one in the middle. You get it."

"How am I supposed to do that?" I asked incredulously.

"Watch it." Sakura answered. "Watch it with your chakra." I focused hard on the shuriken. She let it fly.

"Um…ONE!" I called out. A moment later, the weapon stuck in the third post. I sighed.

"It's alright, we'll try again." Sakura said encouragingly. She drew out another shuriken. "Channel your chakra." I tried my hardest to bring this imperceptible power to my eyes. She threw the shuriken.

"Two!" I called out. It struck the first pillar. "Forget it." I groaned, and stood. "I don't see what this has to do with anything anyway."

"Oh no?" Sakura asked. "Why don't you really try on this one, and stop thinking about how you can't do it?"

"Damn it…" I growled.

"You're the one that wanted to learn, so stop making so hard for me to teach you." She scowled. "Pay attention only to what is important, and focus." I took a deep breath and concentrated on the weapon, on her hand, and on the beams. I tried to force my chakra to my eyes. She raised a shuriken and loosed it toward the wall. I suddenly felt as if time had slowed down, and in what seemed like a few seconds, but could've in reality only been a fraction of a moment, I observed the flight path, and in my mind calculated where it would strike.

"One." I said. The shuriken struck the first beam. I blinked, and suddenly, everything was moving at regular speed. I looked around. "What the…hell…" I looked at Sakura. "Did you…"

"You did it." She said.

"How…" I stammered, unable to grasp the feat I had just performed.

"Shikamaru told me that you had a natural insight. I figured that might play into it."

"My predisposition for how my chakra works…"

"Exactly." She smiled. "It seems you have some sort of ocular jutsu."

"Like Neji?" I asked with a scoff.

"Not even close. Your ability seems to be to analyze things in a microsecond and see all parts of a puzzle in an instant. Neji's ability is a little different…and much more powerful than yours."

"That's wonderful," I grinned. "I was beginning to worry." Sakura giggled.

"It's _kinda_ like Sasuke's Sharingan…but once again, nowhere near that advanced. Probably because where you're from, people don't recognize chakra, and control certain abilities by breeding."

"I see…" I said. "If so, it would be more pronounced, more powerful."

"Exactly!" Sakura said. "But yours will do. We'll train more on your chakra control."

"Alright." I agreed. "Wait, what do you mean, 'your's will do'?"

"Hm." A voice said from behind me. I turned to see Uzumaki grinning. "It's obvious that you want to know the way of the ninja." He said.

"I wasn't aware I was that transparent." I remarked.

"Heh." Naruto laughed. "I knew there was something about you the moment I saw you. "

"Am I really so much like you people?" I asked.

"Are you really so different?" Naruto asked. "I mean, when you fight, you stay all calm and stuff, even if you're fighting someone like Neji, who you know's gonna take you apart. You watch everything around you and learn quick, even I can see that. And the way you talk to us…" He scoffed, and looked at the ground a moment, then looked back at me. "You kinda remind me of Kakashi sensei…I mean you're nowhere near as good as he was, but…"

"I want to learn your ways." I said. "I want to become a ninja." Naruto smiled again.

"Then let's get to work! Sakura can teach you chakra control, and I'll get Neji to teach you how to fight."

"Oh boy." I groaned.

"And we'll see if Ten Ten can teach you how to use ninja tools." Sakura said with a wink.

"Very well then…" I said. "That seems like a fair trade. When do we start?"

"Seven tomorrow morning!" Sakura said happily.

_I realize that I'm treading on dangerous ground here, not only inserting an OC into the Naruto-verse, but having him train as a ninja as well. I am trying desperately and with all possible writing skill to keep my OC from becoming a "Gary-Stu" character. Here is where I need a little help from my readers. If I begin to get a little corny with this, please TELL ME. Or maybe some of my more experienced readers can give me some advice. So until next time, I look forward to any and all reviews and PM's. _


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